Power of Revenge
by Psudocode Samurai
Summary: He lost her in wave, then he lost them a month later, only to later be struck down by his brother and be banished. That wouldn't stop him, nothing would. He would find the bastard, and kill him. "Orochimaru...I'll never stop...NEVER!" One shot.


Disclaimer: I dont own Naruto.

AN: Sorry for going dark folks, had a blue screen of death on my computer and after a lit of fighting got it up and running again, then just got busy job hunting, and deciding to go back to school (june!) but now I'm back at it. To break out the rust I opted to do this little one shot. I saw one of the live action trailers for Prototype 2 and it inspired this, hope you like it! Naruto will seem a bit emo and damned strong here, but for those that have seen the trailer by the same name of this fic then you saw how the character was infected with the Blacklight Virus, in this one Naruto assimilates the Chidori, slowly becoming lightning itself. If you don't like the idea of it, that's cool, it's a one shot, and I'm not making you read it :P

EDIT: Thanks to NHunter for seeing that I'd left the H out of Sharingan, not sure how I missed that...

* * *

Power of Revenge

* * *

It had become a common thing, the rain.

At first it was minor, this was the Land of Fire after all. Beautiful days were common, but true downpours were not.

That changed, though only when he was here.

The figure was standing limply, if it were possible, as though his bones had been liquefied and he was only left to stand by will alone. It wasn't the first time he had been here, standing on the Fourth's head as he looked out over the village, but it would be the last time.

For those that would pay attention, it seemed as though that the rains only came when the young man was returning from his silent contemplation, though initially it had been few and far between, mostly on the day of October tenth.

He came here more when he entered the academy, their teachings were a joke, he was always kicked out. His classmates just as useless as the storeowners that would ban him from his shopping.

It all seemed so pointless now when he looked back. Absently he stared at the photographs in his hand, the growing winds whipping at them, as though the world wanted to take that last piece of his happiness from him.

Just like everyone else.

His team had been something he was looking forward to, despite the little voice in the back of his head warning him otherwise. His crush, and the rival, it would have been fun.

Despite her abuse.

His indifference.

The 'sensei' was the worst, never teaching him anything, always showing up late with a lame excuse, though the way that Sasuke would show up just before or after spoke volumes to the properly observant.

Not that Sakura ever caught on.

Then came wave…

The blond, with surprising deftness despite the biting winds and water rolled his fingers, one of the photos coming to the forefront. A bit of parchment that had a border of special seals attached to it. Midnight black hair in a bun, chocolate eyes that looked at the 'taker' with a gentleness that even now chipped at his icy heart, hardened blue eyes shining for just a moment before he let out a pained sigh.

The wind claimed the paper after one last kiss.

It had taken him all his mission pay from that outing, to pay the Yamanaka clan to freeze a single memory and immortalize it on the parchment for him. Now it was just so…pointless…

Right after that he'd spent the day up here. It rained then to…

He was hoping it would snow…

Then came the exams, he honestly didn't think that anyone could pull him out of his own little world, and he was right, it had taken two 'someone's'.

This one really was a picture, he remembered the day well, Ayame had been kind enough to take it for him. The blond was sandwiched between two grinning faces, another brunette, this one with her hair in a low ponytail; the other was a redhead in an odd hat, the only one not smiling in the picture and she tried to look elsewhere while her cheeks were dusted with a rosy sheen.

He'd run into the redhead quite literally, and got quite the pounding for his trouble. Later the brunette had explained things a bit better, and had dragged the crimson haired beauty all around the village to find the blond and apologize properly. To this day he didn't know why they had gone to the trouble, they were from a foreign village after all, but he had appreciated it.

In the coming weeks they had spent more and more time together, initially he had just wanted to show them around, being friendly as they swapped stories. Strangely it had been the foul-mouthed one that seemed to pick up on his sorrow. Slowly pulling the story from him just before the start of the exams.

Thinking on it even now brought a small smile to his lips, and a tingle to his cheeks, their twin kisses.

One of the darkest days of his life was just a short month after that, learning that in one day he had lost the old man, and both of them, to the same person.

A bandaged hand idly ghosted over the print, the rain long ago having started to warp the thing, the colors bleeding and blurring them.

Another gust, another lost moment.

Then came two days ago...

His brother striking him down, the last woman he cared for being crushed under the trees of his home.

He didn't blame Shikamaru or Temari, they were fighting for their lives, but he _did _blame the Sasuke, that weak willed _nothing_ had everything handed to him all his life, all because of a laughable set of eyes. Shortcuts made manifest.

The teen looked out over his 'home' one last time, he loved the view so much, how could the people be so…small…

"Naruto...I'm so sorry."

The teen didn't look back, he didn't need to, there were only a handful that knew he would come here. "Did you know…" It wasn't really a question; it didn't matter at this point.

The older woman, though she hardly looked it, could only look away in shame. "Yes."

"I see…"

She took a sharp step forward, one hand halfway extended, but he seemed to almost exude an aura of one that couldn't be touched.

Couldn't be helped.

The teen let out a mirthless laugh, "You know, I honestly thought things would be better here in time…guess I really was the_ dobe_."

"Naruto…"

"So what are you going to do _Hokage-sama_…leave, or stay?"

She could only wince at his tone, "I-I need to s-"

"Heh…stupid question I guess, you leave and the collectors show up again, right?"

Tsunade's form stiffened at that, did he really think so little of her? "Naruto! You know I can't ab-"

"Can't abandon them? Like you did _me_?" That silenced her, her arm dropping limply to her side, "It doesn't matter, you always had strange loyalties. Abandon the village that your lover and brother died for, ignored the one man that loves you to this day, ignore your godson, but now that all that hate comes to a point over a traitor, you side with them…I wonder what the old man would say…then again, I guess he can't say much these days…"

He could see the light from the corners of his vision, her chakra igniting like a torch, seemed he hit a sore spot.

"You lost a lot Hokage-sama…I hope you find something…someday."

His arms lifted slightly, the most he'd moved since she had first found him here.

Then he fell.

* * *

Tsunade had read the reports, the bigotry that had been allowed to fester in the village. The utter cluster fuck that had been his first C rank.

His abandonment by his sensei, and how little her own teammate had taught him.

She never knew about the loss, those three girls, the closest thing to a grandfather he had had…

Inoichi and Ayame had been the ones to fill in the blanks, along with pieces from mission reports that had painted a grim picture. A boy with nothing had managed to find something, only to have it taken away, not once, but _three times._

The banishment had been a shock to her, the order coming down from the Daimyo himself, it seemed that someone had been sending messages, going above her head.

She couldn't be sure, but given the anger that his remaining teammate had exhibited at his failure to bring back Sasuke, she would guess it was her or her father.

"_Hokage-sama_, what is being done to retrieve Naruto?"

Her small jump was something the speaker, once upon a time, would have delighted in, it caused such wonderful things to her figure, but now, now he just couldn't bring himself to care. While she had every right to be mad at him for his lack of teaching to their mutual relation, he still had his own anger over the banishment, and her neglect in telling him about it.

That night was quickly becoming the stuff of legends. When Naruto had fallen it had taken all her willpower to look over the edge. She didn't want to see the boy she had ignored becoming a smear on the mountainside.

Looking over the edge of the carved face she had seen the little white spot growing smaller and smaller.

Her heart had stopped beating.

Tears were bleeding into the rain.

Then she heard it, his roar, something that would haunt her dreams for many a night to come. A thing so filled with pain and anger that she had to ask herself if she had sounded the same the day that Dan had died.

Then the first spark caught her eye, one that steadily grew until it lit up the night sky, great arcs of raw electricity coming from the spec and dancing into the rock face, gouging huge chunks of earth with every second he passed by it.

A scar that would forever remain.

Her eyes, wide in shock, saw it all, as he fell he suddenly kicked off, the living sphere of lightning becoming a silver spear that shot through the heart of the village, a wake of destruction rippling out from him as though the finger of Kami herself was being drawn through the water.

Damage reports were still trickling in, but he had apparently caused more damage in that one moment than the whole of the Sand/Sound invasion. They had only killed a handful of nin and destroyed sections of the wall. Naruto had gutted the financial section, overloaded the village's power grid, killed almost a hundred people, a fair number of them being ANBU on patrol, before obliterating the main gates.

"Naruto is being listed as a missing nin…one without a rank as it stands, until we can properly ascertain his skills. We've never seen a technique like that, and we need to learn where he learned it, what else he may know, and how often he can use it before an official rank can be assigned."

Jiraiya could only sneer at the blond, he may not have been able to be there for Naruto, but that was because of a mission and orders, not by choice. "I thought he was _banished_, how can we label him as a 'nin'? By your own grandfather's charter…"

"Did you _see_ what he did! How c-"

She was forced to lean back at the sudden snarl from the white haired man, "No! I _wasn't_ able to see it, remember! _You_ ordered me out of the village to find the traitor, I wasn't even allowed to see if Naruto was able to _walk_, let alone train further! I may have been able to stop him, talk sense into him…but no, you couldn't have that…could you?"

"He was still in surgery at the time! We had to act!"

He could only scoff at her, "And look how well that turned out…"

With a growl she slammed her fist onto the desk, a great crack forming in the center of it, "We've all made mistakes baka! Just tell me what you found out!"

He stared at her for a long moment before tossing a scroll on her desk, "He apparently adapted to the Chidori. I don't know how, it could have been the fox, it could have been the seal, there's no way of knowing. What I do know is that that second strike he took infused him with lightning, and his body adapted to it. Combined with his anger at being banished, his disappointment in _you_, and his loss he apparently broke. There was no trace of the fox's chakra in that…scar…but as far as I can tell he didn't need it. Whatever happened to him with that strike and his own…I guess you could say apathy, it let him bypass his own limits. Anything that was subconsciously keeping him from going to far, like his own since of self-preservation or fear of other's safety, is gone. For all I know he can freely draw out and convert the Kyuubi's chakra, there's just no way of knowing right now."

She fell back in her seat heavily as she looked at the report, surprised to see that there were a number of medical files in it, files she was never made privy to. It showed the scans of his chakra network, things that were apparently in a constant state of flux, though constantly expanding.

It was a wonder he hadn't exploded.

The report outlined the fact that he had been shorting out his heart monitor, shocking those that had been trying to change his I.V. It was all right there, yet they hadn't told her.

They'd lied to her face.

The finely crafted pen she'd yet to drop snapped in her fingers, heads were going to roll for this! "What can we do?"

The white haired sage just gave her a calculating eye, "That depends, are you asking as the Hokage, his godmother, or my teammate?"

She eyed him for a time before sighing, "Hokage."

His eyes hardened once more, "There's not much that can be done, he's almost literally become an living assassination technique. As it stands I only know of two things that can really stop it. The Rasengan, and another Chidori from someone strong enough."

"And probably the Raikiri…"

Jiraiya just shook his head, "No, that's only a more powerful version. You saw what Naruto did that night, you know better than anyone that Kakashi could _never_ hope to match that display of power. He's only an A rank after all."

Not for the first time she wished she had her sake', "So only you can stop him…"

"Maybe, but I'd never be able to touch him. You can feel it can't you? Despite how far his is, it feels like he's right outside the door, his power has grown _that_ much…and if he's still surrounded by the Chidori…"

"I see…" The spymaster turned to leave only to feel a hand on his sleeve, "Jiraiya, I have to ask…as his godmother and your teammate, what can be done?"

With a harsh jerk he freed his clothing from her grasp, making her eyes widen, "You know Tsunade…I loved you since before we were on a team…Naruto and I were a lot like in that regard, I still love you, but honestly…right now I'm not even sure I like you…" The sharp sting of tears came to her eyes as she watched his body straighten, the man seeming to almost grow younger before her as he strode to the door, "What can be done…what can draw him out of that darkness…I don't know. You and I lost a lot in the war, but nothing happened so fast…and we still had a home that we cared for, and loved us back, can you honestly say he had the same?" He glanced over his shoulder at her one last time, "Goodbye Tsunade. I hope you find happiness some day."

The dull 'ting' of steel hitting the floor was the only sound in the room.

An old, battered headband, one he had always worn under his toad marking, glittered in the fading light.

* * *

The sound had become all-consuming at this point, the screeching and chirps of a thousand birds. The man couldn't even hear what he was saying anymore, but he could read his lips.

'_Where are they.'_

It was not a question, it was a demand, there would be no acceptance of protest, no second asking of it, he had seen that much already when this…thing…had impacted the ground.

The terrain around him was scorched and broken, a great wake of molten earth and glass still cooled around them, the burned out corpses of trees and bushes accented the scent of ozone in the air.

All his hair was still on end, the odd spark of electricity arcing off the strands of short brown hair as he tried to scramble away from the thing stalking at him. Ever step cause raw power to dance through the earth, the ground crunching like so much glass underfoot before melting and re-solidifying once more. His hands were in tight fists with what looked like the remains of bandages being seared into blackened flesh. His clothing, if it could be called that, was the same, most of his form being wrapped in the same cloth. A fair bit away the remains of what looked like a hospital gown was tangled in the branches of a still burning tree.

But even all that wasn't what was making feel like a child at the moment. It was his head.

What looked to be once tanned skin was now marred by the same half burned, half melted bandages, but three marks on each cheek shown through all that, what looked at one time to be whiskers, but now were more like gaping _holes_ into the heart of lightning itself. Hard blue eyes stared down at him even as a blond mop of hair looked like it was glowing in the fading light of the day.

Behind him were the remains of his team. They had been tasked with patrolling the border after some kid's defection, leading false trails way from the base so that the trackers couldn't find them. It was all supposed to be routine…Then they had felt it the night before, that massive surge of power and the glow on the horizon. One of his teammates had mumbled something about a tailed beast under her breath, but it was lost to the storm that night.

They had written it off, something so far away couldn't hurt them.

All that day they had seen something in the distance, at first they were worried it was a spy glass, but after running towards it for almost an hour they were no closer, so they made to move off, away from where this person might be looking. They had just dropped their packs to start setting up camp that night when they realized that the 'spec' was so much larger.

He fell on them with the fury of Raiden himself. The impact buckling the ground like a child throwing a stone in sand, the release of power had killed one of the members before they could even react, the concussion wave alone had liquefied her organs, killing her before she even knew what had happened.

The next wasn't as lucky. The…blond…had rolled him over and asked the same thing. _'Where were they.' _The man was still dazed, he didn't answer.

He was going to answer, he wasn't about to suffer the same fate as his teammate. This…child…had extended a single finger, and pressed it almost gently against the man's forehead.

His body was till spasming hard enough that he could almost feel the bones snapping even from here.

"N-North-west. Twenty-seven miles. Und-underground, please, don't ki-" A wave of electricity washed though the area.

Sap boiled, trees exploded, rocks shattered before melting.

All that was left of the nin, was a vaguely human shaped scorch.

* * *

Sasuke smirked at he looked at the small room filled with nin before him. They only had one job, run through jutsu while his Sharingan soaked up the knowledge.

Behind him, Orochimaru smile grew even as his hands came up to rest on the teen's shoulders, one hand idly stroking the curse seal that Sasuke had so beautifully adapted to, causing the raven haired teen to shiver in disgust.

It was all for a purpose, to kill _him_…

The group were shocked to see one of the heavy steel doors thrown open before one of the genin rushed in, bowing deeply even as the boy's chest was heaving in the exertion. "L-Lord Orochimaru, we-we lost contact with one of the early listening posts! Sector 7-B!"

The sannin's eye's widened in surprise, that one virtually on their doorstep. His mind quickly conjured up the map of the area, that post was a direct path between here and the Leaf…could he have been found? No…the-

The lights in the room suddenly flickered before exploding in a shower of sparks, the act making Sasuke hiss in pain as he had the flashes seared into his mind.

Then the shaking started.

The sannin was quick to grab Sasuke before flickering away to one of the higher levels, just enough so that, if needed, they could run. Kabuto quickly appeared before him alongside one of his other weapons, one with the coveted Crystal Release, The pair snapping a hasty salute before the snake user ordered an update.

"Orochimaru-sama, t-there's only one attacker…"

"WHAT!"

The woman, one who looked almost stoic could only nod, "He'd already breeched the outer defenses with some kind of powerful lightning jutsu, it shattered two of my own crystal walls, I've never seen anything like it…"

Kabuto seemed to hesitate for a moment before bowing slightly, "I have Orochimaru-sama…it resembles the Chidori b-"

The eldest of them gave a disturbing laugh, "So, Kakashi-kun has com-"

"No my Lord, it's not him!"

Yellow eyes narrowed, "Then who?"

"I-I don't know sir, he's to young to be Hatake, but it certainly was the Chidori, that sound is unmistakable. However, it-its surrounding him, whoever this is, they must have a powerful bloodline for the lightning element, its like it was trying to break out of him!"

The snake sannin's smile grew, one quickly matched by Sasuke, he had the lightning element, and it's possible that he could learn a great deal from this man. "Excellent, do what you have to in order to subdue him, he can prove quite useful I th-"

Another shake of the base, one that made Kabuto pale even further, if that were possible, "M-My lord, you don't understand, none of us can get close to him, those that try are instantly disabled, if not killed! The first wave were _vaporized_, sir!"

His eyes narrowed once more, "Are you telling that you _can't_ defeat him? Is that what you're telling me Kabuto-kun?"

The man now truly started to sweat, he couldn't just tell him _no_…"O-Of course not my Lord, but this foe is very dangerous, we could loose a lot of men trying to subdue him."

That made the Snake Lord think a moment, it was true, one bloodline user, save the Sharingan, would not be worth the loss of the whole base… "Very well, sound the general alarm, we'll pull back to one of the bases closer to the ca-"

Another shudder ran through the room, this one seemed so much…closer…

Shouts rang through the halls, screams for help, cries for mercy…

If he were the cause of it would have been music to his ears.

Then he heard the sound, the chirping of birds, and a roar of a name.

"_**OROCHIMARU!"**_

Three forms stiffened, they knew that voice.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, "Naruto…"

* * *

Every cell of his body was on fire.

In a way it felt good, the pain was an old friend to him now, but every second he moved, hunted, it seemed like it grew. That first jump was freeing in a way. His acceptance of death, that there would be no return after this, then the power infused him, giving him one last burst.

It had started in his heart, fitting, given that that was what had died within him. Slowly spreading out from that central point

His scar.

Even while he was talking with Tsunade he felt it, gnawing at him, he had just thought it was his feeling over his impending suicide.

Half way down the pain had become to much, he let it all out, the pain, the hate, the desire to get his revenge at the very least on Orochimaru, even if he had to fly into the base and unleash the Kyuubi as a last act before he died.

The sparks on the outside of his vision, the sound of birds…it had brought him back to that morning with Haku, sitting with her in that clearing before helping her gather herbs, the way the birds were lingering around the pair, the peace of it…

Life wasn't fair, he was always told that, but it had never really hit home until that moment on the bridge, when he was cradling her cooling body as he cursed Zabuza for his callousness.

Kin…he had seen what had happened to her in the aftermath saw her body before they burned it after extracting what they could from her. He didn't recognize her at first, her hair was largely gone, and her face to pale, her eyes a milky, myopic white where whatever was done to her had copied the last thing she had seen. Her body was bare, her skin cut and torn from the…from the procedure.

He had been interrogated after that, they had seen her memories of him; it's where he learned that she was hoping to actually date him when it was all over. Apparently she hadn't known about the invasion, about the bastard's plans. Hoping that, just maybe, after they had dealt with Sasuke he would go with her. She didn't think he would, but she had hoped.

He'd managed to save the ribbon she had in her hair, if he had to guess it was still under his pillow.

Tayuya he'd found out about while in the hospital, from Shikamaru, it was the first time that the lazy nin had seen Naruto cry. He asked his friend if she suffered, he said that he didn't think so, that the trees were very large.

Not an hour later he'd found out about the banishment.

That first realization that he was actually flying was something of a thrill, it brought a smile to his face, he imagined that this was what Haku must have felt like in her mirrors…

Haku…

Kin…

Tayuya…

His speed doubled, then he spotted the movement, those setting up a camp just on the 'enemy side' of the Valley of the End.

It was over before he really realized what he had done, now there were scores of ninja throwing themselves at him, all meeting the arcs of power that danced from his fingertips, his elbows, his whole body. If they survived then they would never fight again, the raw power overloading nervous systems, something just flash boiling the person until there was nothing left.

Those were the most merciful, he was certain that they hadn't felt a thing, just a surge, then dust.

The 'fighting' intensified, walls of stone and water blocking his way. The stone was cut through like so much paper, the water was a problem, that actually hurt, ground him out, but the users were also the ones to pay for calling up the water in such tight quarters.

A whole unit was wiped out from the rivulets of water running down the slope at them, not realizing that their simple sandals didn't offer enough grounding to stop the surge, their spasming bodies were sill back there, flopping like boneless fish.

Realizing why they were trying so much harder he lashed out, rather than just gesturing and seeing the aftermath.

Reaching deep he pulled on that burning, let it flow up from his core and through his arms and fingers, imagining something that could deal with them all and let him reach his goal all the faster.

"_**OROCHIMARU!"**_

He hadn't realized he'd even spoken, his right hand lashing out with hooked fingers and five great arcs of pale blue lightning tore the hall, and the ninja, apart.

Five perfect furrows in the walls and floor, the ninja all falling to pieces, as they were rent asunder.

There was no blood, the wounds were cauterized, the places were the think beams struck were just _not there._

Seeing the door at the end of the hall his other hand came out, and to his shock extended, a great barbed spear of lightning piercing the door before the steel melted to reveal his target, one looking at him with wide eyes.

Just in front of the man was _the promise,_ the teen looking like he was trying to comprehend what he was seeing.

Kabuto had taken a sharp step back at seeing the carnage that was in his wake, he hadn't spared the group a second thought, he had a goal, and it was _right there_!

As he took a step forward a woman with purple hair appeared before him, her arms covered with crystal blades, attempting to strike him down, his own hands and come up in reflex to block, the woman wincing as the electricity started dancing through her arms, "I won't let you kill him!"

For the first time one deep blue eye flickered to her, her own dark eyes, eyes so much like those he would never see again, "Is he precious to you?"

His voice was soft, but seemed to thrum with power, sending shivers up her spine that had nothing to do with the arcs from his hands. "Yes! He saved me from the Purges!"

The eyes seemed to flicker with recognition for a moment, "The war in Kiri, he saved you?"

"Yes!"

"And for that you will die for him?"

"In an instant!"

A small shadow of a smile formed, "Be glad you were helped that day, but that means you should live for him, not die for him…"

The power faded, she was so shocked that the struggle had vanished she was overbalanced before his hand came almost lazily back, ghosting over the back of her neck before she started spasm once more, electricity dancing up her and down her spine.

The move was so casual, but it was so _fast_!

"You are so much like her…the first girl I really cared for…live, and find a reason beyond that murdering scum."

Her eyes were locked on his as he turned to leave, noticing the for the first time just how sad, how empty those eyes were, and for the first time she wondered just what Orochimaru had done to this boy to break him so.

He moved on, stepping over her squirming form, that single step breaking the group out of their stupor, in an instant there were two rushes of leafs, and they were gone.

The teen's eyes narrowed, feeling the sparks of chakra lingering in the air, and something more…something so familiar to him…Sasuke… "No…you wont get away…yoU WON**T GET A**_**WAY!"**_

* * *

The trio appeared on the surface and could only blink at what they saw, nothing but a burned out nightmare remained. A great crater that was still cooling where _something_ had hit, something blond if they had to guess. Orochimaru was surprised to feel a hand on his ankle, looking down to see a man who had apparent flash burns over half his body; whatever had hit had been _hot_.

"M-My Lord…Hel-"

The sannin shook his foot away before stomping on the man's head, a small, rare mercy from the Snake Lord.

"My Lord, we have to go, _NOW_! If he tracked us here others may be close behind!"

Sasuke was still in shock at what he had seen, what had happened to the dobe! How had he gained that power! Power so much like his own! He had seen the pain in those eyes, eyes like his own after the slaughter of his clan, and he had only been focused on one person, Orochimaru…what had he taken from the blond to cause that!

The avenger looked up at the man that had offered him power, for the first time seeing a sliver of sweat coming from his brow. This man was scared, scared of the _dobe_.

"We're going to the capitol, we can get lost in the crowd until he's lost our trail, after that we will move to-"

The ground started to shake once more.

Pebbles jumped.

Kunai and senbon rattled.

Rocks that had only just started to harden again shattered even as clouds started to form above them.

They leapt back in shock at a brilliant blue bolt of lightning came _from_ the round into the sky above, three sets of eyes tried to blink the spots from their eyes, but they had seen it plainly, something had come from below and into the clouds.

"My Lo-"

Kabuto was cut off as a crackling cord wrapped around his neck, the shockwave of the suddenly expanding air knocking the others back several feet before the white haired medic was yanked off his feet into the air.

His scream was drowned out by the thunder.

Sasuke was scrambling back in a crab-crawl, his eyes bleeding red as he tried to track the source of the attack, Orochimaru was little better, eyes locked on the spot that he had seen the flash come from, but he couldn't see anything, not a hint of where the jinkurichi had gone, or struck from.

Another shockwave, this one just behind the snake summoner, knocked him off his feet, shards of rock slicing at the back of his legs and a supreme heat scorching his clothing.

A light rain started to fall.

The older man rolled over with a hiss, looking up at a being that looked to be power personified. There was almost nothing left that would easily identify the blond as Naruto at this point. His body made up more of whites and blues rather than flesh.

All save his eyes, those blue eyes, still the color of the deep sea on a bright day, eyes that stared at the downed man with a hatred that made the lightning seem plain by comparison.

"You took them from me…everything lead back to you…Gato was trying to earn your favor, showing he could kowtow a nation, all for you. Because of that I met Haku…because of that, Haku died…" A spear of lighting lashed out to pierce his crippled hand, severe convulsions rocking his body before the charge…dulled.

The spear remained.

"Then you killed Kin…killed her to defile her body, and the bodies of the old Kage's…to kill my Grandfather…" A pair of spears, these two to take his legs, before he was lifted off the ground to hover before the being, one seemingly _made_ of wrath.

"Then you sent out Tayuya to take that piece of trash, all for his eyes…she died because of your perverse plans…killed by my own friends." A final spear pulled up his last hand, and brought the sannin to within inches of Naruto's face.

Overcoming his fear, overcoming the pain, his mouth opened to reveal a sword.

He regretted it instantly. After all, metal conducts…

"You took them all, _all!_ I'd never done anything to you, neither did they…all you wanted was power…power you didn't know what to do with even if you had it. You wanted to know every jutsu known to man…why? For what purpose?"

The man couldn't talk, not that Naruto really cared.

"It really doesn't matter…it's over. All those plans…undone by a child with nothing to loose…"

The 'immortal' sannin felt his body start to heat up, then the pain came.

It stopped just as soon.

* * *

Sasuke's eyes were wide in horror as he saw _thing_ before him rip Orochimaru apart with those…lightning chains.

Then it turned to him.

"W-What a-"

Another chain lashed out, wrapping around his neck much like it had with Kabuto, before hoisting him before the blue-eyed elemental almost casually, "What to do with you…teme…"

Sharingan widened, this really was Naruto, "I-It really is you…how?"

The thing…_smiled_, "I became like _you_ teme…I'm an Avenger! Aren't you impressed? Isn't this what you wanted to be like?"

Sasuke's hands came up weakly around the chains, ignoring the burns that danced up his hands and neck, "How!"

The grin widened, "_YOU!_ When you tried to kill me…I don't know how, but my body _liked_ the taste of that Chidori…Kakashi was so arrogant to name the big brother of that skill the Lightning Blade…he has no _clue_ what real lightning is like, the power…the freedom" Blue eyes came to a point on the raven haired youth, "But you know, I'd trade every ounce of this, even bring that _thing_ back to life, if I could have them back…It's the same with you, isn't it? To get your family back you would have done _anything_."

The Uchiha did his best to nod, "Yes, I'd do anything to avenge them, to get them back!"

"I can relate…but you know…it's because of _that_ that Tayuya died…and I can't forgive you for that…" Sasuke's eyes widened further, if that were possible, the three tomoe in his eyes spinning wildly, "But you know…I cant just kill you…I made a promise."

The chain tightened before wrapping around him further, making the boy scream in pain.

"And I _always_ keep my promises."

* * *

Tsunade was already through her second bottle thus far. The backlash for her hadn't been good.

Wave.

Spring.

Tea.

From clans to countries, Naruto had apparently touched them all, and when they had found out what all the blond hand been through, only to _then_ be banished? Well they certainly weren't happy.

Her own Daimyo had been furious when he had received news about the broken treaties and trade agreements, demanding to know what was happening in her village, why someone that _he_ had banished, on good authority of the crimes the boy had committed, had been seen like a hero around their world.

Sakaki Haruno had been dragged to the capitol by her own ninja to answer to him for his falsehoods, but that one man dying hadn't been hardly enough to sway the masses.

They wanted Naruto back, but _not_ in the Leaf, there were currently a dozen different proposals on her desk from the Daimyo, from citizenship requests to marriage proposals, all for that little blond ball of energy that she had ignored.

Her orders were clear. Remove the bounty on the blonds' head, or there would be sanctions imposed by their own capitol. Then she was to find him and bring the boy before his Lord so they could talk.

Problem was, they couldn't find him anywhere. He'd been missing for weeks now, ever since that incredible display of power on the mountain.

Reports had come in a week later, that he had apparently found and decimated Oto, the remains of Orochimaru scattered across a clearing of fresh volcanic glass.

There had been no sign of the Uzumaki or the Uchiha though; she had all but given up hope of finding him.

Jiraiya had officially resigned that day, it didn't matter what the council tried to do, the simple fact of the matter was that Jiraiya was a spymaster, and if he didn't want to be found, he wouldn't be. Beyond that, there wasn't a single ninja in the village that had the power to subdue him even if they had found him. It would have taken most of the ANBU force to accomplish it, and the simple reality of it all was that if it came to that, he would likely kill most of them, before reverse summoning himself to the Toad Realm before appearing almost anywhere else.

Another swig of the alcohol, it had always helped her relax in the past, but this time it seemed like no matter how much she drank she couldn't chase the memories of the past away. The loving look from Dan and her brother, same with Jiraiya and the motherly look that the boy had for her.

The bitter realization that she would never see those eyes again, all because of her…

Two quick knocks at the door, and after her slightly slurred admittance she was rewarded with the sight of Shizune, not that the woman had a kind eye for her anymore either…after seeing what had come to happen to Naruto a number of those that saw him in a good light had started to ostracize her, even her own fan-girl, Tenten, had been cold. She had been ecstatic upon meeting her at first, but it seemed that Naruto had been the one to illicit change in the Hyuuga, improving her own team immensely, and the thought of her idol being the one to banish the one that changed her crush, and was the reason that Lee had been healed…she was less than happy.

The pretty young brunette only stared at the bottle with a sneer before looking to her 'master', "Hokage-sama, there's a disturbance headed this way…the barrier team says it has the same signature as the attack on the night you banished Naruto-kun."

Tsunade's eyes widened, was it possible, was he really heading back? "Alert Kakashi and call up the rest of his graduating class, there's a chance they can talk some sense into him. I want every ANBU we have on the walls just in case, this village can't take another like we had that night."

Shizune's eyes only hardened further, "You're going to kill him. After he did what _you_ couldn't and killed Orochimaru, you're going to kill him."

The Slug Princess only gave her apprentice a hard look, "If he attacks the village, I won't have any choice."

The woman turned stiffly on her heel before she started walking out, "There is always a choice, _Hokage-sama_."

The elderly leader felt a tear slip from here eyes, this hate, was this what Naruto went through…

* * *

The forces were amassed.

Black shadows along the walls.

Ten younger ninja and their three sensei waited just beyond the gates, with them was the Hokage.

A form in the trees grinned, the glow easily showing where he was, not that the others dared to make a move.

There were no sounds, not even the odd bird or insect, it was almost as if time itself has stopped for those in the village.

It was a strange sight, the glow…but worse still were the clouds that seemed to spread out behind it.

Like a god itself was moving towards them.

Most of the sky was the same brilliant blue that they would know at this time of year, but starting at that glowing focal there was a great delta of rolling black clouds heading back towards the destroyed base.

They saw the first bit of movement in the tree line, ANBU primed explosives, kunai and jutsu, unsure what would step into the clearing. The were hardly expecting a body wrapped in crackling chains of _pure energy_ to be thrown to the gates, only quick reflexes kept the 'projectile' from colliding with the rookies and other ninja that were standing before them.

All eyes turned to the downed bundle, two sets widening in shock before they changed the person with a cry of 'Sasuke-kun!'

Their screams made the new presence chuckle darkly. "I always knew those two were blind to everything but Sasuke, but I honestly thought they would know better than grab a live wire."

A number of forms stiffened at that, before turning slowly to look at the figure that was simply…_there_. What looked to be a bolt of lightning given human form just…_grinned_.

A grin devoid of warmth.

"N-Naruto-kun?"

The grin vanished as cold eyes bore into the Kage's and caused her to flinch, "Hokage-sama, such a term is only for those you are close with. _Stop_."

With that word, thunder rolled across the sky.

"Naruto…what happened?"

If anything the bright outline darkened, the arcs of power growing in fury and forcing the others to move back in fear. "Mission accomplished, Hokage-sama. The traitor has been killed, the defector has been returned. Although I don't know what use you'll have for him anymore. Such weak will, he's long gone now."

It was true, it looked like the constant shocks from the chains had forced his body to shut down, he still drew breath, but his mind… "H-How did you do it?"

Cold eyes turned to Kakashi before an arc lashed out and knocked his 'eye patch' off, "Don't ask questions you already know the answer to, _sensei_. I thought you'd be proud, I became just like Sasuke after all. I was an Avenger. Though unlike your little pupil there _I_ completed my mission. Be glad that I don't consider you part of that list…you didn't intend to kill Haku after all…she was an accident…"

There were many that saw and heard the softness in his voice as he spoke of the ice user from Wave, something that caused the little Hyuuga girl among them to look away.

The Kage put a weak smile on her face, if he was here with a 'mission accomplished' report then maybe she had a chance, "Congratulations Naruto, you've do-"

"Done nothing, not for you. I kept a promise; hope that little girl likes her paperweight, that's all that Sasuke is good for now. I'm going to take what's important to me, then I'm going to go."

"B-But you can't! By order of the Daimyo you've been pardoned! You're a ninja of the village again!"

The figure just seemed to sneer, "Kill me if you like, but I won't stay. I'm here for two things, and then I will go. You will never see me again."

The ANBU tensed, they knew this kid took out Oto, _and_ Orochimaru in one assault, this wouldn't end well. "No! Please, you need to stay! Give us a change to make things up to you!"

Naruto's eyes only went cold once more, "You've had thirteen years for that, what would happen now? Is it because the fox is dead?' Several gasps filled the area, 'No? Is it because I killed Orochimaru?" A single 'yes!' echoed from behind the wall, making the figure smile, 'At least I can count on one person for honesty…Then is it because of the teme? Thought I would be put to death for that one, after all, I was banished for _not_ bringing him back, so this would have to be worse, ne?"

Several eyes hardened at that, but just as many were looking at him in sadness. "Naruto…what can we do?"

A single flash blinded those present before a wave of thunder rolled over them, shaking their very heartstrings. In the time it took it to clear 'Naruto' was now before them again, two small objects in hand.

A ribbon, and an odd hat. "Can you bring back the dead?" Silence, "Then goodbye."

Another flash, and the village was left wondering just what those items were, and why they were so important. However, for a handful, they could only lower their eyes in sorrow.

* * *

A stranger figure had never been seen before in the Land of Waves.

None had the courage to approach it, but they did know that it had been raining ever since that being had appeared on the top of the cliff.

Some thought it was the ghost of Gato, other Kaiza, their hero.

More thought it was some divine being, that was the only explanation for the power it gave off.

For one small family however, they knew that a very different hero had returned to them, one who had finally been broken by the world.

It had taken him days…weeks…to get his powers down to the point that he could do this properly, but in that time he had managed to have a few brief conversations with Inari and Tsunami, the old man having been in Mist for a repair contract after their civil war had ended.

It didn't matter though, not to him, he wouldn't need his power much longer anyway.

Just behind him were five graves, three being freshly dug. The first having a great sword stabbed into the earth, though that ground now had been fused solid, keeping the weapon firmly in place.

The last four, however, were truly magnificent. Having used the one that once held a small, broken, hunter-nin mask as part of a four-pronged plot. At the heart of the graves was a large statue, one apparently forged of a tempered crystal.

It had all been from memory, so he was sure there was a bit there that had been to stylized, but really, this was how he had seen them, a large tree stood in the middle, and at it's base were four 'people' all looking to be asleep in it's shadows. At the heart of the group was a young boy with three whisker marks on his cheeks wearing an odd jumpsuit, not that that could be easily seen with those that were leaning against him.

In his lap was the youngest of the girls, this one with long hair tied at the end with a small violet ribbon, her body clad in military fashion with patterned leggings and scarf, a heavy vest. The boy's head was resting gently atop hers as he apparently slept.

To his right was a girl in a strange black hat, one that had a few metal bars on it, a lone bang of hair in her eyes as her head rested on his shoulder, her arms wrapped firmly around his middle while one of his arms was securely around her waist, doing his best to pull her closer. Her baggy tunic held tighter with a large rope, black shorts finishing the look.

The last, holding and being held by him similarly to the one in the hat, had her hair in a tight bun, a broken hunter-nin mask around her neck, as though it had just been taken off, two long forelocks of hair framed her peaceful face as she looked to be snuggling deeper into his arms, and the first's hair. The outfit being a short-sleeved kimono and turtleneck with divided skirt.

The glowing figure had finished it some time ago, the tree being the representative of his grandfather, not that many would make the connection. Being made of raw energy it had been something he had worked constantly at, never tiring, never stopping unless he had to start over due to his own mistakes. Now he was just looking out at the sea, fighting the off flinch as the waves came closer, or the rain beat harder. He looked over his shoulder at the monument; he couldn't call it anything else at this point. Maybe in years to come people would come to look at his work, and wonder who these people were, who they were to each other.

He'd left his own name blank, there was already a monument here with his name on it, it would be simple enough to piece together for those that came here. But for his loves he was going to do the best he could. Using that power he had melted their names in the 'bark' of the tree, small carvings that he had fused with off colored metals, nothing precious, he didn't want some thief to try and take it and damage his work. Not that he thought that anyone would be able to scratch it. After he had finished not even he had been able to melt it again. The crystal's properties make it a perfect conductor, only lighting up the structure beautifully when stuck with the normally torturous lightning, water just ran way, and he had anchored it deep into the early, so long as the cliffs lasted, so would his monument.

The figure stood slowly, he hadn't needed to sit there, and he knew that, there was no real point, he wasn't tired. He couldn't get tired anymore. He instead moved slowly to the structure one last time, fingers alight with power dancing over each of the faces, even his own, and making them glow for a time.

So smooth…just as he had remembered them.

"I'm sorry I couldn't do more. I don't know why you cared for me…I know even less why Kami had to take you…but at least you're not alone now, you have each other." A heavy sigh, one that lit the air with sparks, flowed from him, "I don't know if I'll be allowed to go where you are…but if I am, I'll find you, even if it takes me a thousand years…I'll find you. Haku, you may have to teach those two patience…"

He smiled, the first real one in a long time. Thunder rolled through the sky from the east and west, almost like two girls were growling at him, making the smile grow.

Staring a moment longer Naurto then rose back to his 'feet' before backing away, keeping the graves in sight as long as he could.

With a last step he moved past the edge.

* * *

Stories were told in the area for generations to come, and as with the telling of every story it had changed over time.

How a young boy had come to the country, someone who would fight evil, and had found love, only to have that stolen from him.

How he had become a god to fight for justice, and when his deed was done he had returned to the heavens, leaping into the sea to be with those he lost, the explosion of power felt that day had changed the people of Wave. Granting them greater affinity for water and lightning, eventually giving rise to a new village, one founded on his principles.

Love.

Honor.

Equality.

Justice.

That generation had seen their first Kage rise to power, Inari, the one who had known the god personally, and had been taught the true meaning of strength when he was a child by that man.

That the man had been taught by his loves.

To fight for what is precious to you, that is when you gain true strength.

This is the creed of this land's ninja, of his land's village.

The Village Hidden in the Maelstrom.


End file.
